A vehicle body typically includes a roof that is supported by pillars. In a convertible vehicle, the roof may be automatically retracted and stowed behind the driver or behind a row of seats. In other convertible designs, the roof may include a removable roof panel that may be unlatched and removed from the vehicle body as a solid unit. Thereafter, the roof panel may be temporarily stowed in a protected area such as a garage or in a compartment of the vehicle.